


Give an inch (take a mile)

by Prosodi



Category: Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-31
Updated: 2012-01-31
Packaged: 2017-10-30 09:59:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/330496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prosodi/pseuds/Prosodi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rhodey picks Tony up and takes him back to where he belongs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Give an inch (take a mile)

One time some magazine asked Tony what his favorite dessert was and he said 'Apple pie.' What he didn't tell them was that it usually came in a cardboard packet out of a drive-thru window.

"Those smell terrible," Jim says while they drive the looping road up to Tony's. Tony is eating a million desert singles and Jim's truck squeaks around every turn.

"Just like mom used to make," Tony rambles offhand, dripping sarcasm like how the cardboard carton is dripping all over the upholstery.

"Use a goddamn napkin," Jim digs a handful out of the paper bag between them and mops up the mess on Tony's thigh, scraping apple pie goop out of the cup holders. Tony hangs his elbow out the window and leans his head back.

When they get to the house, Tony spills out into the gravel drive and then pokes his head through the open window. "Hey, Rhodey," he says. Behind him the door is opening and for a moment Jim can see Pepper's outline - the crisp cut of her jacket's shoulders - in the light; then she comes bounding down the steps and crunches across the driveway to Tony's elbow.

She says, "Where have you been?!" If Tony can't hear the worry and exasperation in her voice, Jim at least can.

"On the path to enlightenment. I'll tell you about it later, Potts." Tony's still hanging on the door of the truck.

Jim finally leans over and starts to roll up the window. "Goodnight, Tony," he says forcefully.

Tony's hands inch up with the window and Jim looks at him, catches his eye. Stops for a second because when Tony looks at him it's dark and goes on from here to New York and it makes Jim feel suddenly so tired while simultaneously puting a knot in his stomach.

"I could fix that squeak for you," Tony says and the way he says it is simple, matter of fact which is enough to throw Jim off balance because Tony is so uncharacteristically still and the look on his face is a lifetime out of reach. After a second, Tony takes his hands off the window and says "Night, Rhodey," and then surrenders himself to Pepper.

The truck idles in the driveway for a few seconds and when Jim finally puts it in gear, it ambles slow and tired along the switchbacks to the valley. That night Jim rolls under it and stares up into the angles and corners of the undercarriage. A second later, he rolls back out.

Tomorrow he'll let Tony fix it.


End file.
